Respirator



Feb. 1, 1938. H. 5. COVER 2,106,795

RESPIRATOR Original Filed April 27, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 1, 1938. 5. V R 2,106,795

BESPIRATOR Original Filed April 27, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jf x; Z a 2.;

Patented F eb. 1, 1 938 UNITED STATES RESPIRATOR Harvey 8. Cover, South Bend, Ind.

Original application April 27, 1934, Serial No.

Divided and this application September 21, '1934, Serial No. 744,879

7 Claims.

My invention relates broadly to respirators and is broadly related to my copending applications, Serial Nos. 662,929, 684,503, 684,968, 722,619, and 724,817, filed respectively on March 27, 1933,

August 10, 1933, August 14, 1933, April 2'7, 1934,

and May 9, 1934.

The subject matter of the present invention together with other subject matter was disclosed fully in the application filed April 27, 1934, Serial a division.

More specifically, the invention of the present application relates to the provision of means adapted to be used in connection with the cut-out or cut-outs of a respirator for effectively sealing the respirator to the face, by forcing the face contacting portion of the respirator tightly into the depressed portionsof the face, found on each side of the bridge of the nose. a

I have provided a member which may be designated as a face contact member and which may be made of knitted fabric or other suitable material. In the preferred form chosen to illustrate the principle of my invention, I have provided a fabric which is hollow and frusto-conical in form and which may take other forms. It is provided with a loop or loops by which it is adapted to be removably secured to a lug or lugs on the respirator proper, but it may be permanently secured if desired. By this arrangement the smaller end of the face fitting member may be inserted into the face contacting end of the respirator proper and the larger end may be turned outwardly and stretched over the face contacting edges of the respirator to cover said edges and the face contacting member may 'be removably secured.

Where said'face contacting member crosses or passes a cut-out it stands away from' contact with the respirator on the' inside and when the bridge of the nose of the wearer is placed in a cut-out, this face contacting member is pushed.

My invention also has for an object the pro-- vision of such a device which can be conveniently removed, and be comfortable,'sanitary and inexpensive to manufacture.

These and other of my advantages will be 5 more apparent hereinafter.

No. 722,619, of which the present application is,

My invention may be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a respirator with the device of my invention applied;

Fig. 2 is an elevationalside view;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the face contact member which may be employed with the respirator member; I

Fig. 4 is an end view of the subject matter shown in Fig. 2 on line l-l;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-6 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the preferred form of my device comprises a unitary wedgeshaped main body l0 having oppositely inclined and converging side faces II and 12 which are joined together by similarly formed upper and lower faces l3. The entire body portiort III ineluding side faces H and I2 and upper and lower faces l3 are preferably moulded into one piece of flexible and resilient rubber. Upper and lower faces l3 are provided with identical cut-outs M. The function of cut-outs I4 is to permit the entrance of and fit tightly around the bridge of the users nose. Since the cut-outs are identical the device may be rotated through substantially one hundred eighty degrees and yet fit the wearers face as efliciently in one position as in the other. j

Forwardly inclined lugs ii are arranged on upper and lower facesv lit for the purposeof anchorlng face contact member l6 which is shown in Fig.3 before attachment to the respirator.

Face contact member I6 is generally frusto-conical in shape and knitted into a continuous elongated band. Attaching loops ll are provided at points one hundred eighty degrees apart, adjacent the larger end of member I6. The member l6 may then be attached to the respirator by inserting the smaller end into the open or rear end of the respirator and turning the larger end outwardly and over the rear edges of side faces I l and I2 and upper and lower faces 13. When this operation is completed so that the member l6 covers entirely said rear edges, the attaching loops l1 maybe hooked onto the forwardly inclined securing lugs l5.

crosses or passes a cut-out ll it stands away from contat on the inside, but when the bridge of the Where the inner smaller end of member I6- nose of the wearer is inserted into the cut-out,

said bridge of the nose pushes the face contacting member inwardly and drags or pulls that part of the face contacting member and also the margin of the respirator at each side of the cut-out, along with it into the depressions found at each side of the bridge of the nose- Supporting straps i9 and i9 may be secured to opposite side faces II and I2 respectively at points adjacent but forwardly of the rear edges of said 'side faces. Attachingbolts 29 may be used and because of the positioning of said bolts they do not interfere with the outward and forward folding of face contact member l6 to any detrimental extent. A securing buckle 2| is carried by strap l6 and cooperates with the free end of strap I9. Straps I 3 and I9 are, of course, of sufflcient length to extend around the head of the user so as to attach the respirator securely in place for filtering the inhaled air.

Oppositely inclined side faces H and I2 are provided with inhaling apertures 22 and 23.

, through the slots 32.

by pressing the lugs inwardly and through.

Preferably these apertures are of large size and arrangedin a circular formation with one aperture serving as the imaginary axis of the circular formation. Extending entirely around the groups of apertures 22 and 23 are outwardly extending annular flanges 24 and 25 respectively, and a plurality of transversely extending attaching bosses 26 and 21 protrude at spaced points from the outer faces of flanges 24 and 25 respectively. Preferably the flanges 24 and 25 are formed integrally with the side faces II and I2 respectively and of the same character ,of material. However, the flanges 24 and 25 may be made of greater thickness than the side faces so as to make them relatively more stifl and less'subject to deformation. Filtering material 29 is arranged over apertures 22 and 23 and within the flanges 24 and 25. over the outer ends of said flanges so as to hold filtering material 28 in place. Caps 36 having enlarged annular openings 3| may be placed over screens 29 and flanges 24 and 25- and attached to said flanges by the entrance of attaching bosses or lugs 26 and 21 into the slots caps 36. Caps 30 are preferably attached by compressing flanges 24-and 25 so that the attaching lugs 26 and 21 may be brought within the cylindrical walls of caps 36 and when the lugs 26 and 21 are in alignment with slots 32 the resilience of the flange material causes the attaching lugs to be projected outwardly and The caps may be removed slots :2. I

The faces II and i2 and upper and lower faces |3 extend forwardly and into a wall forming*a bulbous extension 33. The bulbous extension 33 is preferably longer from top to bottom than from side to side so as to offer very slight obstruction to the vision vof the user. Annular openings 34 are provided at the top and bottom of bulbous extension 33 for the purpose of permitting the exit of exhaled air and so placed as to permit drainage of water of condensation from the interior bulbous chamber.

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6, the interior wall of the bulbous extension 33 is thickened so as to provide an abutting and retaining bead 35 whose ,function is to serve as an abutment against which the exhaust valve carrying frame as is adapted to be held. Retaining lugs 31 are spaced forwardly of bead 35 on the interior wall of bulbous extension 33 and are preferably arranged on.opposite walls of said extension. The bead 35- and lugs 31 thus in efl'ect provide a Screens 29 may be placed' rearward edge of lugs 31 is somewhat less than the width of flange 38 of exhaust valve frame 36.

The exhaust valve frame 36 heretofore mentioned comprises a somewhat ovally shaped base plate 39 and the yforwardly extending flange 39 heretofore mentioned. Spaced exhaust openings 40 are placed ad acent opposite ends of plate 39 and because of the positioning of valve frame 36 are adjacent the upper and lower walls of bulbous extension 33. Consequently they are near annular openings 34 and moisture of condensation may flnd exit from the interior of the respirator through openings 40 and openings 34. These openings function in identically the same manner regardless of whether the respirator is used in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2 or whether it is rotated through one hundred eighty degrees. The outer perimeter of flange 39 is somewhat greater than the inner. perimeter of the wall of bulbous extension 33 which lies between lug 31 and bead 35.. Consequently the flange is constrictively retained openings 40 and act as a hinge upon which op-qp posite ends of flap 4| virtually pivot when air is exhaled from the respirator. Because of the flexibility and resilience of the flap 4| the opposite ends thereof immediatelyq'eturn to lie flat upon the forward face of base plate 39 when pressure within the respirator is reduced to that existing outside the respirator. As soon as inhalation starts the flap 4| is drawn tightly against the plate 39 because of the inward suction or pressure. The pins 42 are spaced apart so as to prevent the rotation of flap 4| since rotation might cause the outer edges of the flap to drag onthe inner wall of flange 36 and prevent eflicient operation of the flap. However, a pin having a square shank or transversely protruding lugs might be employed instead of the two spaced pins The removal of the exhaust valve frames from the bulbous extensions is a relatively simple op-' eration and may'preferably be carried out by deforming the bulbous extension until one of the retaining lugs 31 is displaced so that one side of the exhaust valve frame may be pushed forwardly. The entire valve frame may then be withdrawn from the rear of the respirator by turning said frame upon its edge. The valve frame may be reinserted by pushing it into the bulbous extension edgewise, pressing one side of the frame into the retaining groove, and then deforming the wall of the bulbous extension sufiiciently to permit the other side of the valve frame to be forced into the retaining groove.

From the foregoing description it can be seen that I have accomplished my objects in an extremely economical manner and provided a device which may be used for the intended purpose of filtering inhaled air without any great discomerated exhaust valve. The placing of the exhaust valve immediately forwardly of the nostrils and mouth of the user aids considerably in permitting the user to breathe lightly and freely and yet be protected from the dangerous effects of noxious gases and foreign particles.

While I have illustrated and described the pre- 'ferred form of construction for carrying my inthe nose, and a face contacting flexible memberadapted to be applied to said respirator in the cut-out area thereof, so arranged that the bridge of the nose will move the face contacting flexible member and thereby move the-flexible face contacting margin of the respirator into close contact with the usual depressions found on each side of the bridge of the nose. j

2. The combination of a respirator having a face contacting margin, said margin being provided with a cut out, a flexible face contacting member adapted to be folded over said margin, so adapted that upon insertion of the nose the face contacting member will move the face contacting margin of the respirator into the usual depressions on each side of the bridge of the nose, said respirator being provided with lugs and said face contacting member being provided with loops for securing the parts.

3. A respirator having a face contacting margin, a flexible face contacting member folded over said margin, a cut-out in said margin adapted to receive the nose of the wearer and push and drag said flexible face contacting member and-also the face contacting margin of the respirator into the depressions on each side of "the bridge of the nose of the wearer and having loops for attachment to lugs, said loops being provided on said flexible face contacting.

member.

4. The combination of a respirator and a hollow frusto-co'nical fabric element having its smaller end arranged within the respirator and its larger end folded over the surface engaging edge thereof, lugs on the outer face of the respirator, and loops on the fabric element to engage said lugs to removably .secure the said element in position, substantially as described.

5. A respirator having its walls terminating in a flexible face engaging edge, said edge being provided with a cut-away portion forming a. nose receiving notch, in combination with a tubular fabricmember folded over said flexible edge and adapted to be engaged by the bridge of the nose of the wearer to draw the flexible edges of the walls into close engagement with the face, substantially'as described.

6. A device as set forth in claim 5 in which the tubular fabric element is frusto-conical and arranged with the smaller end within the respirator and the larger end folded over the out-. side thereof, as and for the purpose specified.

'7. A respirator having its walls terminating in a thin flexible marginal edge adapted to extend-toward the face of the wearer, said edge having a cut-out forming a nose receiving notch, and a flexible face contacting member folded over said flexible marginal edge and adapted to be engaged by the bridge of the nose when inserted in the cut-out to pull the said marginal edge of the respirator to fit the contour of the face of the wearer, substantially as described.

' HARVEY S. COVER.

DISCLAIMER 2,106,795.Harvey S. 002161", South Bend, Ind. RESPIRATOR. Patent dated February 1, 1938. Disclaimer filed June 5, 1940, by the inventor. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claim 4 of said patent.

[Ofiicz'al Gazette July 2, 1940.] 

